We have always been fascinated with how deeply personal fragrance is to an individual not only in its ability to evoke emotion but also to encourage a tangible connection to past experiences; the connection between scent and memory is so strong! How many times have you smelled something that can literally transport you back to a specific moment in time? How many times have you smelled something that reminds you of someone else? We wanted to bottle that feeling (literally) and build a brand that harnesses these memories so people are almost wearing more than a perfume – they’re really feeling something.

Our founder, Kelly Kussman, relocated to Phoenix, Arizona from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to continue her career in retail.  This is where I met my husband and we wanted to grow our family. In 2017, her and her husband faced the tragic loss of their first baby who we planned to call Cayla Gray. After almost losing her life during the first ruptured ectopic pregnancy and then struggling with another ectopic pregnancy, Kelly really wanted to create a legacy that not only honored the beauty and heartbreak of this bittersweet experience, but also fueled her personal passion for fragrance. From this desire, the Cayla Gray collection was born.   "After personally experiencing a few years of heartbreak, I decided it was time to finally start my dream business and focus on putting my energy into creating something beautiful products that people can create memories with.  With that, I set out to create a line of luxury, clean products that celebrates our most cherished memories while developing new ones that we can fondly look back on in the future." - Kelly

With Cayla Gray, we have stepped away from traditional perfume practices and returned to an artisan mentality to curate a line of clean perfumes and candles that are American-made, ethically-cultivated and fairly-priced for self and home. This thoughtful spirit is imbued in the brand, keeping the business as transparent as possible by designing products locally and collaborating with makers globally. “I was sitting on the dock with my dad one night, looking across the water after sunset, and thought to myself, times like this are exactly why I started Cayla Gray. To capture this moment in fragrance and create an instant connection to that experience every time you revisit the scent. I love fragrance, I love everything about it. They can truly elevate your lifestyle, evoking an emotion or memory that makes everything around you feel more beautiful. That’s the experience I want to share with people.”  -Kelly